Building structure



July 21,1970 -v. F. ONJUKKA 3,521,417 w BUILDING s'rRucTuRi:

Filed March 25. 1968 j 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 F/GJ INVENTOR VEIKKQ F. ONJU'KKABY: $60166 A- PATENT AGENT u y 1970 I v. FIONJUKKA 3,521,417

' BUILDINQ s'rnuc'runm Filed March 25, 1968 Q5 ShaeL-kiheut 1:

INVENTOR VEIKKO F. ONJUKKA PATENT AGENT July 21, 1970 v, QNJUKKA3,521,417-

BUILDING STRUCTURE I Filed March 25, 1968 s Sheets-She et a l0 7 FIG. 6

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FIG. 7

IO INVENTOR VEIKKO F. ONJUKKA gw'enye/ffodm PATENT AGENT 3,521,417BUILDING STRUCTURE Veikko Filadet Onjukka, R.R. 2, Parry Sound, Ontario,Canada Filed Mar. 25, 1968, Ser. No. 715,724

Int. Cl. E04b 1/56 US. Cl. 52282 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Thisinvention relates to the construction of wooden rooms, buildings orother structures, and in particular to such structures that are builtwithin a confined space such as sauna rooms and the like, where theWooden stock is of horizontally arranged log-type construction.

In this type of construction it has been conventional to provide cornersof a complex system of interlocking notches to provide a typicaloverlapping log-cabin construction. This design is wasteful of materialand of space, especially where the building or structure is erectedwithin a basement for example. In addition it is complicated to form inthe manufacturing process and difiicult to seal against moisturepenetration.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide astructure formed of horizontally arranged planks or logs having improvedcorner construction of simple design which is economical in material andprovides an effective seal.

More particularly it is an object of the invention to pro vide astructure having the foregoing advantages which may be erected in aconfined space and in some cases in contact with an adjacent wall orwalls as in a domestic basement.

It is a further objective to provide hardware and fittings for use insuch construction.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described b way ofexample only with reference to the following drawings in which likereference devices refer to like parts thereof throughout the variousviews and diagrams and in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a wall structure according to the inventionsuitable for a domestic sauna room, shown with the ceiling portionremoved;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevational view of a portion of the structure ofFIG. 1 sectional along the line 22;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan cross-section view of a corner section of astructure of FIG, 1;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a corner of the structure ofFIG. 1, near the bottom of the structure;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a corner of the structure ofFIG. 1, near the top of the structure;

FIG. 6 is a sectional side elevational view corresponding to FIG. 2showing an alternative embodiment;

United States Patent 0 3,521,417. Patented July 21, 1970 ice FIG. 7 is aside elevational view of the alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 6,and,

FIG. 8 is a lower perspective illustration showing a further embodimentof the seating means incorporated in the invention.

The structure according to the invention is shown in this embodiment toincorporate interlocking tongued and grooved planks 10 of a uniquemoisture resistant design which is the subject of my co-pendingapplication Ser. No. 583,303 entitled Tongue and Groove Plank, flledSept. 30, 1966 now U.S. Pat. No. 3,440,784. However, it will beappreciated that the invention is equally applicable to other types ofplank which are adapted to be erected in a horizontal log-cabin type ofconstruction and in fact many such other types of plank are availablefor the purpose if desired. Planks 10 are joined at the corners 11 byforming a smooth 45 degree end surface 12 on each plank 10 in order thatthey may butt together and each such end surface 12 is provided with acontinuous semi-cylindrical channel 13, which registers with one anotherto form a continuous cylindrical opening for reception of sealingcompound.

Planks 10 are further provided with continuous grooves 14 on their outersurfaces arranged to register in alignment with one another forreception of the corner locking channel member 15. Channel member 15comprises two adjacent exterior surfaces 15a and is provided withtongues 16 forming, in section, an incomplete square, for fitting withingrooves 14 of planks 10. At the foot of channel member 15 a retainingplate 17 is welded to hold planks 10 therein and to resist thedistortion of channel member 15 which might take place upon swelling ofplanks 10.

At the upper end of channel member 15 the construction of FIG. 5 isprovided to permit insertion of the last plank 10 from the exterior, andto provide means for forcibly compressing planks 10 together to providea good moisture tight seal. One side 15a of member 15 is cut away as at18 to a depth equal to the width of one plank 10 at least, and threadedholes 19 are formed in sides 15a as shown. Channel top member 20 isprovided for attachment to channel member 15 and comprises a short side21a and a long side 22 provided with holes 23 for reception of bolts 24registering with holes 19 in channel member 15. Top member 20 is alsoprovided with a top plate 25 having a threaded hole 26 therein forreception of bolt 27. A pressure plate 28 of L-shaped construction isprovided for location beneath top plate 25 and may pref erably beindented as at 29 for registration of bolt 27 thereon.

Where the structure is to be used as a sauna room, as in thisembodiment, the floor may be completed by a layer of plastic 30 (seeFIG. 2) which is preferably preformed and shaped and provided with anedge portion 31 adapted to be nippedbetween planks 10 in the lowestcourse. Sand 32 or other fill may be used as a support beneath plastic30 and a drain 33 connected for escape of condensed steam.

One or more benches 34 mav be provided and are preferably supported asshown in FIGS. 1 and 2, by means of four wooden dowels 35 looselyfitting in cylindrical recesses 36 formed in planks 10. Benchcrossmembers 37 are provided with holes 38 for reception of the exposedends of dowels 35 and end caps 39 may then be screwed in position tohold the. same secure.

In operation the structure is erected by simply placing each plank withits two grooves 14 receiving tongues 16 within channel members 15, andlowering or driving it down into engagement with the plank beneath atwhich point it is locked in position due to butting engagement of endsurfaces 12. The last plank may be inserted from the exterior throughthe spaces provided by cut away portions 18, and top member 20 is thenbolted in position. Bolt 27 is then tightened to drive pressure plate 28down and compress planks 10. Channel 13 may be filled with a liquid,sett able compound at any time.

Various modifications can be made for economy. Thus floor 30 can bereplaced by poured concrete and a cove base trim strip (not shown) ofstainless steel or plastic. Alternatively the whole floor can be tiled.In addition, it is possible to dispense with bottom plate 17 and merelybolt the two lowermost planks 10 to the channel member 15. The sealinggroove 13 can be replaced by single saw outs into which a piece ofplastic strip (not shown) is forced to provide a seal.

According to a further embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS.6 and 7 a somewhat less costly means may be provided for arranging acompletely sealed self draining floor. In this embodiment, the lowermost plank member '10 is raised upwardly and rests upon a raised portionof concrete 40 which is forced upwardly into the grooves running alongthe underside of the plank 10. The operation is very simply achieved bymerely attaching an outer form or plank member 41 to the outer edge ofplank 10, plank 10 being raised upwardly by means of chocks 42 which arespaced apart from one another and merely served to hold the lower mostplank 10 off the basement floor itself. The concrete while still in asemi liquid or plastic state may then be forced against form member 41and pressed upwardly into the grooves on the underside of plank 10, theinner surface being molded and shaped as shown so as to provide gooddrainage to the centre of the structure as at 33. In this way, it ispossible to avoid the need for a sealed plastic floor 30 and aconsiderable saving in cost is achieved.

According to the embodiment of FIG. 8, the supporting arrangement forthe bench or seat 34 may be somewhat modified. In this embodiment, analuminium molding or die casting 43 of generally L-shaped section isformed and attached in place of the wooden cross member 37 of FIG. 2.Molding 43 is provided with one hole 38- adjacent the rear edge of theseat or bench 34 corresponding to the hole 38 in member 37, and isprovided with one i or more notches indicated at 38A. In this way, thebench may be arranged to be swung upwardly about dowel and when swungdownwardly will rest upon other dowels 35 arranged to register and fitwithin the notch or notches 38A.

The foregoing is a description of a preferred embodiment of theinvention which is given here by way of example only and the inventionis not to be taken as limited to any of the specific features describedbut comprehends all such variations thereof as come within the spiritand scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. Building structure for use in the construction of a prefabricatedbuilding or the like, said building having a plurality of cornersections arranged along parallel axes and being of a predeterminedheight, said structure comprising:

a plurality of tongued and grooved interlocking plank members adapted tobe mounted edge to edge in a horizontal arrangement;

angled ends on said plank members adapted to be placed in an abuttingrelationship at said corner sections;

grooves formed across said plank members adjacent said angled endsthereof adapted to be aligned to 4 form a channel extending from the.top to the bottom of the stnucture parallel to the vertical axis ofeither side of said corner sections;

metallic corner forming channel means for each of said corner sectionsextending substantially the height of the structure having adjacent faceportions for forming and securing the corners of the. structure;

flange means extending from said face portions for inter-engagement withsaid grooves for maintaining said angled ends of said plank members inend abutting relationship at the corner sections;

a lower securing member at the lower end of said channel means andorientated to contact the undersurface of the lowermost plank members toretain said plank members therein;

an upper securing member attached to the upper end of said channel meansand adapted to overlie the abutting edges of the uppermost plankmembers; and

adjustable means for forcibly compressing said plank members movablyconnected to said upper securing member whereby the plank members areforcibly compressed together along an axis parallel to the axes of saidcorner sections to provide a good moisture tight seal between said plankmembers.

2. Building structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said upper securingmember has a top plate with a threaded aperture therethrough; andwherein said adjustable means comprises:

threaded means adjustably passing through said threaded aperture in saidtop plate of said upper securing member with a free end extendingtherethrough; and

a pressure plate with spaced apart upper and lower surfaces locatedbeneath said top plate of said upper securing member, said lower surfaceof said pressure plate contacting the upper edge of the abuttinguppermost plank members and said free end of said threaded means adaptedto engage said upper surface of said pressure plate whereby saidthreaded means can be adjusted to forcibly compress said abutting endsof said plank members.

3. Building structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said channel meansat the upper end has one of said face portions cut away to a depth atleast equal to the width of one of said plank members and wherein saidupper securing member has adjacent face portions one being greater inlength than the other and said face portion with the greater lengthadapted to be placed adjacent the cut away portion of said channel meansand including attachment means for removably connecting said uppersecuring member to said channel means.

4. Building stnucture as claimed in claim 1, wherein said channel meansat the upper end has one of said face portions cut away to apredetermined depth and wherein said upper securing member comprises:adjacent face portions one being greater in length than the other andsaid face portion with the greater length adapted to be placed adjacentthe cut away portion of said channel means; a top plate attached to saidface portions of said upper securing member with threaded aperture meanstherethrough adapted to overlie the abutting edges of the uppermostplank members and wherein said adjustable means comprises: threadedmeans adjustably passing through said threaded aperture means in saidtop plate of said upper securing member with free ends extendingtherethrough whereby said free ends are adjusted to contact the upperedge of the abutting uppermost plank members and forcibly compress saidabutting ends of said plank members.

5. Building structure as claimed in claim 1 including vertical recessmeans formed in the abutting end surfaces of said plank members andregistering with one another whereby to define a continuous closedpassageway extend- 5 6 ing vertically through said corners of saidstructure for 1,936,571 12/1933 Burnann 52-233 X receiving groutingmaterial therein. 3,440,7'84 4/1969 Onjukka 52233 3,449,875 6/1969Snedeker 52-284 X References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS UNITED STATES PATENTS5 1,666,074 4/1928 Steinhil'ber 211--150X 7/1946 France 1 4429 1 35 f-1s 5335 Z 3 2 HENRY c. SUTHERLAND,Pr1mary Exammer 2,373,789 4/1945Smith 52-282 s. D. BURKE 111, Assistant Examiner 3,157,255 11/1964Sondheim 52 -2s2x 10 3,189,950 6/1965 Johnson 5z-2s1 X US. 01. X.R.3,204,373 9/1965 Small 52-282 X 5236. 233

3,222,836 12/1965 Collin et a1 52-281

